Weddings in Maui
Maui Wedding Guide
Whether it is an intimate Maui beach wedding or an elaborate large estate wedding, Maui is the best place to get married in the world. That's why so many people come here every year to get hitched.
Below are some details, answers, and other information about Maui weddings. We've also listed some of our favorite island vendors.
Coordinators • Locations • Photography • Catering • Videography • Rentals
Tux & Suits • Officiants • Bar Services • Butterflies & Doves
Flowers • Limousines • Entertainment • Cakes
Wedding Coordinators
We definitely recommend hiring a wedding planner for your Maui wedding. They will coordinate all the little details for you. By the time you arrive on the island everything will be ready. Most of them have been doing this for years and know all the best vendors. (Or, the best vendors that fit in your budget.) You need to interview your coordinator like your photographer. Call them, ask questions, and ask for references. There are a lot of coordinators on the island and some are better than others. Don’t forget that you can always customize your package with what you’d like for your wedding. For example, you can choose your own photographer and not have to use theirs. If a coordinator refuses to do so, go with some one else.
YOUR ALOHA WEDDING
For ease of mind and a perfect Maui wedding, contact Your Aloha Wedding. Give Kara a call at (808) 283-3022 or visit their Maui Wedding Coordinators website.
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Locations
The majority of weddings on Maui are small beach weddings on the South and West shores. They have the best view of the sunset. Putting together a Maui beach wedding can be effortless with the right talent around you.
Small Maui Beach Wedding Locations
You can choose any beach on the South side of Maui that is to your liking.
The same goes for the West side of Maui excluding Kaanapali Beach for permitting reasons. The only thing we do suggest is finding a beach that's a little further away from crowds. The most crowded beach to get married on is Makena Cove, also called Secret Beach, in South Maui. It is a gorgeous place with very blue water when the sun is out in the morning. But many times the common Makena cloud covers the beach, and therefore hides the blue water. It is possible to get the beach to yourself with the sun out, but I wouldn’t count on it. The beach is incredible and hidden away from the road, but every wedding vendor knows about it and recommends it to their brides. Sometimes you'll find 2 to 3 weddings at the same time on this tiny beach. Our suggestion is to find a different spot, and if you need to have photos there, make the trip after the ceremony for pictures. The island is bigger than you'd think with some beaches that are more private.
Some other beautiful beaches to get married on in South Maui are Poolenelena Beach in Makena, Keawakapu Beach in Wailea, and Palauea Beach in Wailea. They are all beautiful with a view of Molokini in the distance.
Some beautiful beaches to get married on in West Maui (which is the Lahaina side of the island) are Baby Beach in Lahaina, Napili Bay in Napili, Kapalua Bay in Kapalua and Ironwoods Beach in Kapalua.
Permits are required to get married on any of these South and West beaches. Your Wedding Planner will take care of getting the permit for you. The beach permit is a layer of protection for anyone getting married in Maui. You can rest assured that only licensed, fully insured wedding professionals will be conducting your romantic beach weddings or vow renewal.
Large Maui Estate Wedding Locations
By far, our favorite estate on Maui to get married at is the Sugarman's Estate, also called Honua Kai Lani. Before you move on to the next website, keep in mind that there are more than one Sugarman Estate. Sugarman was the guy who invented Blue Blockers in the 80's. He also pretty much began the infomercial craze. Thus, he's got a lot of money and a lot of property. The estate that we're referring to is in Makena, next to Ahihi Cove, which is one of the best snorkeling spots on the island. This is a manicured estate with huge lawns right on the ocean. It is perfect for bocce ball. There is no beach in front, only lava rock. Going South on the island, it's the last house on the ocean to your right, just before the lava fields and the surf spot “Dumps”. There's a 5-bedroom house on the North side of the property with a jacuzzi and barbecue area. The house is nice but needs to be updated, and has a large lanai that faces the ocean. The lawn isn’t golf course perfect and it has some soil spots interspersed, but it does the trick anyway. The oceanfront lawn has a gazebo and the most perfect point for a ceremony. This property can hold around 500 guests for a great party in a beautiful place.
Another great house to get married at in Maui is the Kamaole Beach House. You have to stay there to get married there and the maximum number of guests is 25. The house if right on Kamaole Beach One, and you can walk right out to the sand. It has a lap pool and jacuzzi. All the living room windows slide into the wall to make a beautiful open patio area right next to the pool. There is a small lawn for a few tables. It is right across the street from The Maui Coast Hotel.
The Olowalu Plantation is a beautiful spot on the way up to Lahaina. It has huge sprawling lawns, big beautiful trees and a great house to get ready in. It is on a 3 acre lot with a romantic, old Hawaii style to it. There is not an option to stay there, but the bride can get ready there. There are bathrooms built for wedding guests, which is really nice because you don’t have to rent porta-potties! You might have to rent them for over a certain amount of guests though. The lawns are right on the water but does not have a sandy beach. The beach there is rocky, but you can still get some great photos right next to the water. There is a pier that the couple can take nice photos on also. There is a concrete slab for a dance floor under the huge beautiful trees. The Olowalu Plantation accommodates up to 500 guests.
The Haiku Mill is a beautiful place to get married in Maui also. It is at the Pua Le’a Ruins and has amazing botanical gardens on the property. This Hawaiian historical landmark is one of Maui's first sugar mills built in 1853. It has a romantic ambiance and is very different than any other Maui wedding location. It does not have the traditional ocean beach view, but makes up for it will the amazing tropical feel. The restored ruins provide the perfect stage for beautiful gatherings and weddings. The Haiku Mill's brick flooring, chic chandelier, walls of moss, and unique fountains adorn the amazing wedding site. This wedding location is enclosed, yet open to the sky. There is a cottage that’s available for a changing room. It accommodates up to 100 guests.
Hale Kailani in Maalaea is a great house to get married at also. It is an oceanfront estate with a guest capacity of 70. The great thing about this house is the transition of both indoor and outdoor venues. You and your guests will enjoy the wedding both inside a nice open-air house and outside on a lawn with the ocean right over the wall. Amazing views surround your event and the ocean is right over the hedge at the edge of the small lawn. There is a larger lawn to the left of the house for a reception. A beach starts to the left of the house, but it is usually not accessible over the stone wall. The couple can drive to the end of the short road to a very private beach to take romantic photos. It is great spot for photos, but the direct sunset is blocked for a portion of the year in summer. The moon rises over Haleakala to create a romantic ambiance exclusive to Hale Kailani.
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Maui Wedding Photography
Here are some tips to prepare for the best photos for your wedding.
#1 - Tan lines. If your dress is strapless or shows your chest at all, think about what style bathing suit you will be wearing the week before your wedding. If you are planning on tanning at all, wear a strapless bathing suit top to prevent stark tan lines.It will be VERY evident in your wedding photos if you have bright tan lines.
#2 – Invitation. Bring your wedding invitation so the photographer can get some pretty shots of it with the rings or flowers. Make sure you or a bridesmaid lets the photographer know you have it for photos.
#3 - Ring Exchange. During the ring exchange in the ceremony, slip on your partners ring from underneath. Keep in mind that your photographer will be trying to capture this great moment. To capture this, it is good to hold the ring from underneath and slightly open up to the camera. Not to much like you are posing for it, but just a bit so you’ll get a good memory of it for your wedding album.
#4 - Smile! Keep in mind that your photographer will be taking candid style photos throughout our time together. Keeping a smile on your face will give you many more happy pictures of your special day.
#5 - Attractive angles. By lifting your chin a little bit you banish the double chin. Holding your elbows away from your body reduces the apparent width of your torso and helps with any upper arm width. Shifting your weight to your rear foot cocks your hips into a position that gives you a sexy curviness. There are many other little tricks your photographer may teach you. Just listen and he or she may have some good ideas.
#6 – Makeup and Hair. Your wedding day is not the day to experiment with new makeup or hairstyles. Be sure to plan a day prior to the wedding to have a hair and makeup "dress rehearsal". If you plan to wear a headpiece, use this time to make sure that it will fit with your hairstyle. If you hire a professional for makeup and hair, try to do a test run. If that is not possible supply an example photo. Be very descriptive in what you want, or else you might end up with a look you don’t like at all.
#7 – Wind!! Maui is a very windy place. Be sure to test out your hairstyle in the wind. If you can’t do that, use extra hairspray. Some brides end up having their hair in their face for all the photos. That’s not very good for the wedding album. A good rule is to opt for an updo instead of having your hair fly around all day. Usually updos are set in place by pins and hairspray so you won’t have to worry about it. You might end up with a calm beautiful day, but I wouldn’t count on it.
#8 - Aisle-way. If you will not be having chairs on the beach and having your guests stand around you for the ceremony, it is a good idea to keep an "aisle-way" between the group. It makes for much better photos of the ceremony, of both the two of you and the entire group.
#9 – Time of Day. When choosing your venue and time of day, keep lighting in mind. If your wedding is outdoors, the best light happens 1-2 hours before sunset or at about 8:30 or 9 AM in the morning. Sunset time will give you the hopefully nice sunset colors in your photos. Morning time gives you the blue water and blue sky in your photos. If you hold your wedding too late in the morning or in the early afternoon, you will probably get photos of you squinting and sweating. If your wedding is indoors, which is uncommon in Maui, try to avoid buildings with high dark ceilings and few windows.
#10 - Designate a photo organizer. Your photographer will be ushering people to take photos with you two, but if you'd like certain photos with certain friends and family it is a good idea to have someone who knows who is who tell people it is their turn. Since your photographer does not know who is who, they cannot easily do this. I suggest making a basic list of variations you'd like and designating the duty to a groomsman or bridesmaid who knows everyone. It goes much smoother if someone other than the bride and groom can take charge so you two don't have to worry about it.
#11 – The Kiss. This is the moment of all moments at a wedding. Many couples talk about what kind of kiss they will do for their “First Kiss”. Many couples agree that it should be classic and clean. With that in mind, they usually cut it short, making it very hard for the photographer to capture the quick kiss. Most photographers prepare for this moment in the right position, but sometimes a guest might stand up right in front of them to get their own shot, or the couple might turn to a weird angle suddenly. To help your photographer capture this shot no matter what, try to linger for at least a few seconds. Not to make your grandparents uncomfortable or anything, but just enough to make sure you’ve got a great romantic image for your kids to see in the future.
#12 – Your Photographer. You want to choose a photographer that’s right for you. Some only do traditional posing, others focus too much on candids. Your best bet is to go with someone that does it all. After all, you probably want a variety of photos to choose from. Call around and ask questions. Ask if the featured photographer will actually be your photographer at your wedding. Sometimes they send another photographer trained by the main photographer. Ask what kind of camera they use, and their experience in photography. Anyone can throw a website together and call themselves a photographer. Really look at the variety in their sample photos and choose a photographer that you like.
#13 – Photographer’s Personality. Get an idea of the photographer’s personality. We’ve all heard stories of the rude wedding photographer. Try to go with someone who doesn’t turn your wedding into their own personal photo shoot. The photographer needs to be everywhere at once, but staying as unobtrusive as possible.
Our favorite Maui wedding photographer is Natalie Brown. "But she advertises on this website," you may say. True, but the reason we recommend her is because of all the positive feedback we’ve gotten from her brides (she is not paying for this.) From personal experience, we know that her work is some of the best quality photography on the island. She also manages to remain a pleasure to have at your wedding, even under pressure. Natalie Brown has an eye for detail. She seems to capture all of the often-overlooked things of which you spent so much time working on. That's her gift: taking photos that a bride wants, and making them gorgeous. Your Maui wedding photography is something you don't want to take a chance with. Make sure that the memories captured for your wedding are taken by a professional like Natalie. Call her for more information at 808-344-3843.
See her Maui Wedding Photos>
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Maui Catering
Another integral part of a wedding is the catering. Though finding a Maui caterer is easy, quality food along with good service can be hard to find. For smaller weddings of up to 50 people, we suggest Maui Executive Catering. Their chefs have studied at the acclaimed Maui Culinary Academy under famous chefs from all over the world. Maui Executive chefs create meals that will stimulate all of your senses with the style and sophistication that your wedding deserves. They've yet to fail in making every person at their events sing praises and applaud their creations. Can we speak any more highly of these guys? It's possible, but it's difficult to explain the handle they have on their craft without actually tasting their food. Contact Jeff Scheer at 808-281-9923.
Or visit them at Catering on Maui>
For larger parties, Cafe O'Lei is pretty good. They have 4 popular restaurants all over the island and have quality food for good prices. If they seem difficult to get a hold of, well, they are. They're notorious for being busy and short with their clients when setting things up beforehand, but they (almost) never miss the mark at the actual event.
Aloha Catering Company provides great food and wonderful service. Their food is always impeccable and the service is quick and courteous. Contact Michelle at 808-870-7773.
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Videography
Through our experience, some videographers come off loud and obtrusive, and others blend into the party and are hardly noticeable at all. It is a good idea to think about what is more important to you, your wedding photos or the wedding video. The nature of both requires the photographer and videographer to want to be at the same place at the same time. So you need to tell both the photographer and the videographer who you’d like to be more of the conductor. If you let them know that the photos are more important to you, then they can work together and coordinate better. If no precedent is set, sometimes they will be nudging each other for the best shot. It is confusing and frustrating for both. For example, some videographers will set up multiple cameras at your ceremony, sometimes right in the middle of the aisle. You can imagine what that does for your ceremony photos. A big tripod in the middle of the aisle is not too pretty. If you don’t want that to happen, tell your videographer so and make it apparent so they don’t forget.
During the romantic photo/video session each will be calling out instructions to you, which is confusing and frustrating to you. Sometimes a photographer and videographer can work together perfectly, but it is nice to let each one know what is important to you so they can work around each other smoothly.
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Rentals
Island Rents tends to have the best prices and good quality rental items when it comes to chairs, tables, etc... They have a lot of rentals to make your Maui wedding complete. They have both regular white folding chairs and the nice (but expensive) chivari chairs. Call Rachel at 808-879-5330.
Another company that is great for rentals is Pacific Event Group. Talk to Debbie. She is so sweet and great to work with. They have a lot of linens in all different colors and many rental options. Some of the best things they offer are neat ottomans that come in any color to make your wedding look contemporary and inviting. Call Debbie at 808-268-1584.
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Tuxedoes and Suits
Your choices are limited on Maui because most grooms go with a white Tommy Bahama shirt and khaki pants. If you want a suit that's anything other than black, you'll probably have to special order it and not see it till it's too late. Though not perfect, L'Amour Bridal in Lahaina seem to be the best-run operation.
Ellie’s Formal Wear in Kihei is also an option for tuxedos and suits. They do have dresses and accessories also.
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Officiant
Our favorite wedding officiant is perhaps the most versatile as well. Richard Lewis can perform weddings of all kinds with a soft calming voice and professional, friendly demeanor. He has a subtle Australian accent that tends to add a little more charm to your ceremony.
Call Richard at 808-344-2653.
Another great officiant is Pia Aluli. He is Hawaiian and balances his ceremonies between island style and traditional. He can blow the conch shell like the best of them!
Call Pia at 808-760-2344.
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Bar Services
Maui Cocktail Catering has the best bar setup on the island.
Not only are all of these young bartenders professional and affordable, but they also manage to hire the most beautiful people. You kind of get the whole package with these enthusiastic and experienced bartenders. Their classy bamboo bars really make you feel like you're on the islands.
Their bars are so much better then the regular table with linen over it like most of the other bar companies use on the island. They give you the full service experience. Traditional drinks to island specialties. Call Melissa at 808-357-5097.
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Butterfly and Dove Release
Butterflies can be beautiful, fun and friendly. They are the perfect addition to any wedding. Butterflies also have a deep spiritual meaning. They are often seen as a representation of new life hence their popularity at weddings. There is a Native American Legend which states that if you whisper a wish to a butterfly, the butterfly will fly up to the Heavens and the Great Spirit will grant your wish in return for the butterfly's freedom. Call the Maui Butterfly Farm at 808-280-0506.
Doves are a traditional and exciting addition to your Maui wedding. Since ancient times doves and pigeons have been symbols of love and purity. Dove releases can range in number from just 2 to almost100 doves. A favorite release method is the 2 dove “hand release” by the Bride and Groom. The release of white doves can add a beautiful touch of elegance to your wedding. Doves can be released anywhere on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Due to their keen homing instincts they return swiftly to their Maui home. It is a good idea to release them by sunset at the very latest, so they can find their way home.
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Flowers
Flowers make up a huge part of your wedding. The bouquet, boutonnière, and any other floral décor you decide to have enhances the look of your wedding dramatically. Choose the colors for your wedding, then decide on the flowers you’ll have. Orchids, especially cymbidium orchids, are plentiful here. Some flowers however are very hard and expensive to get to Maui. Talk to your Maui florist and decide on your best plan of action.
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Limousines
Shaun at Coastline Limousine is the best on the island. He is professional, prompt and courteous. Coastline Limousine has offered limousine service on Maui since 1997 for weddings. You can request your driver to be in formal or semi-formal attire. They also have the #1 safety record for Maui Limo drivers. They have Rolls Royce and Lincoln stretched limousines. Call him at 877-817-5466.
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Entertainment
Merkabah Fire Productions has a great fire dancing show for wedding entertainment. If you want something more modern than the traditional Polynesian style of fire dancing, then these are the people to go with. They all have matching costumes and many different fire props. Don’t worry, they make sure that everything is very safe and take extra precautionary measures. The men and women fire dancers choreograph the dance to music and put on a jaw dropping show.
All your guests will get a kick out of this extraordinary performance and they will be talking about it for months. Call Desiree for more information. 808-281-1722
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Wedding cakes
The tradition of cutting the wedding cake is the symbolic first act of a couple cooperating in a task together. It has survived many centuries and continues today. Your cake is important. Whether you are getting married in a large ballroom or a sandy beach, you can have your cake and eat it too! (Sorry for the pun.) Just because you’re getting married on a beach doesn’t mean you have to skip the cake. You can bring a little blanket and even cut it picnic style!
If you are getting married at one of the large resorts on Maui, they usually have an in-house bakery capable of making a small, cute wedding cake. Talk to your concierge or your wedding coordinator and ask them about their favorite cake designer.
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Maui Wedding Photography courtesy Natalie Brown Photography. All Rights Reserved.